1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel thermosetting polymers comprising imide functions, and, more especially, to the copolymerization products of a bis-imide with an olefinically unsaturated comonomer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to this art that heat resistant polyimide resins may be obtained by simple heating of the bis-imides of unsaturated carboxylic acids. Shaped articles molded from such resins, however, are fragile because of their high degree of cross-linking. The reduction of the cross-linking density by means of an addition reaction between the bis-imide and a diamine [U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,223 and see French Pat. No. 1,555,564] or a polyamine-monoamine mixture [see U.S. Pat. No. 3,669,930] has been suggested. These molded shaped articles have been found useful in applications requiring high temperature strength. Nonetheless, in numerous applications which do not require a high thermal index, the difficulty in processing these resins is a pronounced obstacle to their use and development.